The Strange Party
by TrailWanderer
Summary: A tale unfolds on the continent of Faerun involving the most random of parties, will the adventurers survive or be utterly destroyed?
1. Prologue: A Mixed Meeting

** A Mixed Meeting - Prologue  
**

Drovus Arden sat with his "captive" by the fire, his anguish caused by recent events had finally retreated like the ebbing of a tide; the warm flickering of the orange-red flames kept the nights chill away. "You don't talk much do you Ke...Kell...Kellandura...?" he finally managed to remember his odd companions name. The charcoal colored Drow only stared at him with her dead black eyes, similar to the color of coal. "Ah, a touchy topic then. Well either way we are in quite a predicament with my master lost in the Astral Plane, you under Terdal's controlling spell, and me... well me being cast out of Turnsdell and now Luskan; really what shall we do?" This time the wizards apprentice spoke more to himself than the dark elf knowing that the underdark denizen would willingly gut him if she got the chance. Drovus was still fretting about the diminishing amount of travel rations they had left and how long his fellow students spell would hold Kellandura when his mind once again drifted back to the unfortunate event that had happened only a few weeks earlier.

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"Get up you slob!" Drovus was slapped firmly on the face by one of his pupils, Goridon, "the tower is under attack and Sacour is still in his trance!" The young Drovus shook himself awake, reaching for his staff, still bearly understanding the dire consequences of which Goridon spoke of. Goridon yelled at him to hurry and then ran out of the room likely continuing his alarm clock exercise on other sleepy students. Drovus being a fourth year student of the arcane, a powerful title in the small town of Turnsdell, threw his high ranking red robe on over his undergarments and grabbed a matching, comical-looking red pointed hat. His gear (although akward) afforded him quite a bit of respect in the local area. Tying back his midlength, brown hair he splashed some water on his face from a bowl. Drovus's dark green eyes blinked as the water dripped off his handsome, young face. "Now I'm ready Goridon" he muttered to himself and set off down the normally quiet hallway which was now filled with the sounds of hazardous explosions and screams of pain and fury. Drovus, ever the absent-minded student and a lover of peaceful times immediately grew worried by the battle cries arrupting out of thin air. He heard a "whoosh" and ducked as a professionally shot bolt flew through a window to his right. Drovus scrammbled up from his prone position and sprinted up the upcomming set of circular stairs (all were circular due to being in a wizards tower...) and headed for his Master Sacour's room.

Sacour was a survivor, not due to bravery, but by acts of cowardice and through his crystal globe he had seen the raiding party of Drow emerge from the shadows and begin their stealthy raid on the town of Turnsdell. Turnsdell was aptly named after its location, located in a wooded hollow along a bend of the River Mirar. Having spent several decades in the Hosttower of Luskan, Sacour knew how an effective city watch dealt with a problem, he also knew that there was no such watch in Turnsdell and quickly began casting a spell that would let him retreat into the Astral Plane. Sacour had not the magical capacity to bring his students with him and when he heard pounding on his bolted door he stopped his frantic chanting to yell, "you best fend for yourself I am off to the Astral Plane". "You can't leave us!" Drovus cried fully realizing the danger of the situation he was present in. "Oh but I can and will Drovus, sorry my very young apprentice" Sacour replied. He would mourn over the deaths of his students, especially Drovus, whom he grudgingly admired, the akward urchin he had dragged off the streets was now a young man and one of his finest students, but Sacour was never a man to tarry and continued his relentless chanting.

The cries from downstairs became more desperate and "Drow... a group of them!" was called from somewhere below. The young mage pounded on his masters door until his work-trained hands bled and he gasped out his frustration; tears of abandonment gleamed in his eyes. "No, not this time" Drovus panted, "I'm grown up and a Wizard, I can take care of myself now!". He took another breath to steady his body retrieving his fallen staff he turned and strode down the stairs bravely. Ready for anything.

Screams echoed in the cylindrical structure and Drovus saw to his right a breached door leading into a chamber. He heard a shout from this room and now determined, Drovus entered the room gripping his weapon firmly. His staff felt little more than a childs plaything as he entered the room to see a fully black-clad Drow warrior finish off a second student, it's sword crimson with blood. The final remaining student, Terdal, ducked as the dark elf's sword rushed overhead, barely missing. Steeling himself, Drovus felt the call of magic rush through his blood as he began vocalizing the archaic casting words to a powerful magic projectile. The room flared violet as his three deadly messenger orbs flared, spiralling through the room towards his unexpecting victim. The stunned Drow acted upon reflex, dropping to avoid the first, the second defltecting off of its battle trained, magic crafted armor, and the third crashing haphazardly into the chambers ceiling. The smug Drow instantly regained its veteran feet and began stalking toward Drovus, Drovus cringed raising his useless staff in defence. The Drow cackled evily saying something in it's violent Underdark language and then lunged towards it's latest victim, Drovus, with it's sword pointed at the young mage's heart. Unfortunately for the dark elf the third missile had found its mark and a load of rubble and mortar fell from the ceiling crushing the frail drow beneath its one tonne might.

"Nice shot!" panted the attractive female mage, Terdal, whom Drovus had just saved. "Thanks," grinned Drovus, "are you injured?" he asked with concern. "Nothing but fear ailes me" she replied, "come on lets help the others." Half way down the next set of curved stairs Terdal asked "have you seen Sacour?". "Yeah, the slime retreated to another plane." Drovus replied shaking his head. "Slime," agreed Terdal in disgust. The two wizards turned the bend to see another group of student working together to magically fry another Drow elf. They succeeded just before Drovus and Terdal arrived, the overcome Drow was blasted in the middle and tossed litterally flaming out of a high tower window, the only thing left was a smoking pair of boots. After a quick conversation with the new, ragtag party of students, the duo learned that the Drow had been a surface raiding party and now, overcome by sheer numbers and the breaking of dawn were retreating. Splitting up from the group, Drovus and Terdal continued down another flight of stairs, nearing the ground level the damage became more apparent, the Drow had battled furiously and the casualties were far worse for the town of Turnsdell. Mutilated bodies were strewn everywhere and when the two reached the ground level and exited the tower the air was heavy with black, billowing smoke from the smouldering town. "Hurry, mount up. Lets see if we can meet up with any townfolk and gain some more insight" Terdal motioned towards the stables just below the east side of the tower.

As soon as the two unaware wizards began to trot out the stable doors on their new mounts a pair of drow jumped stealthily out of the shadows, with full intention to grab these mounts and use them for their own escape they had bow and blade already drawn. Terdal's mount spooked and reered up, the surprised fifth and final year mage, cast a powerful spell of domination directed to calm her frightened mount right as she was blasted in the chest by one of the Drows black-shafted arrows. Her spell misdirected by her sudden, instantaneous death shot at the second Drow, a sterdy looking female, black as night, who instantly dropped her weapon and stood completely still, slack jawed. Her companion made their last mistake turning to gasp in awe at her partners strange behaviour. "No" screamed Drovus anger overcoming him, adrenaline rushed through his weary body as he pushed out with all his force sending the bow-weilding Drow flying into the ground with a magical blast. Drovus scrammbled off his horse and huddled by his friend, whose body was already beginning to lose the heat of life.

The mage cried for his lost friend, for all the tragedy that had befallen his peaceful world that night, for the townsfolk and for his second abandonment. He sobbed late into the morning and finally overcome, collapsed in the mud, darkness overtaking him. The sounds of battle eventually dimmed around the town, then shut off to allow for the quiet of mourning.

Drovus awoke later that afteroon, his grief still strong in him but for the first time he noticed the slack jawed Drow warrior standing wearily beside him. To his left he saw the other Drow completely crushed into the ground by his powerful magic blast. Rolling over to regain his feet, recognition hit home as he saw Terdal's spell effect on the Drow. He examined her muscular, wiry black body with attempted "sheer" hatred. However, this didn't work, he was angery and sorrow filled yet he felt no hate for this Drow, only interest and awe at such an awesome fighting force. With further amazement he noticed her dark, souless eyes and bone white hair. Right off the bat he had recognized something weird with the spell cast on the Drow it was incomplete, Terdal must had been in midcast when she was slain, he decided to finish the spell. To his surprise the magical tear was mended and the power of the spell was now his, the Drow now his prisoner. "Follow me," he ordered gruffly and she did. Drovus gawked back as his new companion followed him aimlessly through town. He was still undecided with what to do to her when he noticed his silent stalkers; eyes, full of sorrow peering out from every crack of every broken building. Suddenly the tired mage was surrounded by an angry mob.

"Look that mage has a Drow with him!" a fat old farmer yelled to the crowd, stirring their still fresh hatred. "It's not what it se--" "Get 'em, he must 'ave helped the Drow into town" an old, scarcely toothed hag yelled, interupting Drovus's explanation. Realizing he could not reason with this agry mob he turned to the Drow and yelled run. Even without the spell the Drow would have obliged, seeing the large, crazy mob sporting mottled weaponry, few wouldn't have. The two turned, pushing their way through the wearied crowd before the group got a chance to act. "After them" yelled a man near the back of the group, and so the chase began.

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The pair had been chased for a week on the road West to Luskan, before the mob turned back, now set on rebuilding their devastated homes. Drovus and the Drow were chased out of Luskan in a similar fashion by a group of fearsome guards wielding spears; this was of course due to Drovus's infamous friend. The party of two headed south on foot towards Neverwinter, and past that, to Waterdeep. Drovus had retired from the idea of abandoning his stupified companion, how could he ever do what was done to him to a helpless "someone else". Besides he was now growing to admire his silent, resilient companion for her constant radiance of strength and determination which was hardly dimmed by the commanding spell. A few days after Luskan the sun-weakened Drow began to lose her dark magic-crafted clothing and armor to the solar power overhead. Like all Drow equipment, which is not meant for long stays aboveground, the power of her armor decayed rapidly. The Drow who barely noticed through her spell caused stupor, continued walking. Her lack of knowledge towards covering her near naked appearance only more embarassed Drovus who could not peel his eyes off her perfectly crafted, ebony body. He quickly shook his head, snapping himself back into reality and ripped off his red robe, telling her to put it on. She obliged to her accidental "masters" whim and also pulled the hood up over her head to cover her eyes. Later that day he asked her name and she replied in rough common "Kellandura". The strikingly exotic name surprised him as much as her ability to speak his surface language Common.

What a sight they must have been a young man, stating himself a prestigious mage of Turnsdell walking in his undergarments donning a comical red pointed hat, striding next to one of the most feared denizens in Faerun, who was now heavily cloaked and pitiful. The two travelled this way for several days finally coming upon their latest camp ground. This is where the real story begins.

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Drovus's mind found it's containing body and flung itself back into his head, he noticed that Kellandura had fallen asleep without him needing to command her, he shivered realizing the spell was weakening. Huddling down, he pulled some leaves over himself, covering his cold body, luckily for him it was summer.

Drovus awakened to a painful itch on his neck. A cool blade rested against his jugular and glancing over to his companion he realized she was in a similar position (although she probably didn't even know what was going on). "Lookie here Took, I found a handsome young lad in his undies" said his captor, a beautiful young woman, with short blond hair and a second blade in a scabbard, a long oak bow hung across here back next to a fully decked out quiver, her striking blue eyes pierced his own green ones. To his right a short dwarf, wearing full plate armor held a hefty axe over Kellandura's neck he grinned, "Lor' me thinks this be a Drow from the underdark!". "Well isn't this a mixed meeting?" replied the dwarf's human companion.

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Hey everyone, this is my first story on the site and I hope everyone who reads it has something creative to say. I don't mind helpful criticism, but useless insults about something isn't going to make me do anything progressive in changing the story. Now, this is merely the prologue and I hope to write more soon, so that the characters will unfold as well as the story. Please get some reviews up soon so I can see what needs working on.

With many thanks,

-the Author

P.S. Sorry if their are ty&pos or Mispeeld words, I am using wordpad which doesn't edit for me (alas my word is not working currently) but am trying as hard as possible to make this story legible. Thanks again.

Rights to The Forgotten Realms and Dungeons and Dragons are owned by Wizards of The Coast and I only use this exciting fantasy world created by the aforementioned company to set my own story and characters in.


	2. Ambush

**Ambush - Chapter 1**

Drovus told his story of the eventful day and of the time elapsed since then. The two strangers listened, nodding in agreement or simply staring off in the distance (though their weapons still pressed upon the companions necks). After a time of silence the woman aptly named "'Lor" by the dwarf removed her blade from Drovus's neck.

"I believe you." She stated as if that would clear up everything. She motioned Drovus to hold out his hand, when he did she firmly grasped his hand and pulled him up with a powerful tug.

"Alora, you can honestly trust 'im? A drow... A drow!" The dwarf shook his head, thoroughly upset and kept his axe pressed on Kellandura's neck.

"Took, if not these outcasts then who? We are running out of options and we need allies - we need help." Alora looked down. "I mean who can say he, a wizard of Turn, ummm Turn..." "Turnsdell," Drovus filled in quickly. "Turnsdell, yes Turnsdell, is any less trustworthy than us two? As you know we are little more than outcasts now as well."

"We have all heard of the exploits of them dark elves" Took grunted through his matted black beard, "them are murderous scum from the depths of the earth!"

"True, or so the tales say," Alora continued "but if she, a drow, is under the wizards spell certainly a wizard of that power, power enough to control a drow elf, could help us?" Drovus blushed not used to being being adressed so but did not interupt, still feeling the prisoner. "The drow" she paused staring down Took, then continued, "if she is under the control of his whim, could not another trained blade help us?" Alora continued, "we have heard of her battle prowess.

"Your right, as usual, friend" conceded the dwarf, Took, but he still looked frustrated. "Don't expect any favours from me elf" Took growled at Kellandura, who in response cursed in her native tongue, throwing the dwarf off track. "She can still speak! I thought you had control of her Wizard?" Took thundered.

"I did - I do ... I think my power over her is waning. To say truthfully I have no right controlling her so, she is a living being. Even if she is bad-natured I think she had no choice, she grew up with murderers and Lolth cultists. Would you be so different under the same conditions dwarf?" Drovus stated defiantly, daring the dwarf to react, surprising even himself. He had not realized how attached to this alien companion he had become over the last few days.

"Lets not give her a chance to gain back her mind!" The dwarf lifted his axe suddenly arcing it over his head and then switching direction, slammed it towards Kellandura's neck. With lightning speed Alora intercepted the heavy chop with both of her blades drawn, crossed in a dazzling parry. Drovus gasped in amazement, he had barely see her move. "Look Took, don't be stubborn we need his help and if she's with him, then she is also with me - even if she is a drow." Took spat at the ground cursing, "aye, alright I'll give her" he motioned at Kellandura's still prone, form, "and him a chance," he completed nodding at Drovus.

"Good boy," Alora grinned, "He may seem tough, but I assure you it is merely for show" Alora whispered into Drovus's ear. Then seeing the furious look on her companions face she began to laugh heartily, "although his scowl has saved us from danger plenty a time". Drovus not knowing how to react to the comically enraged dwarf, tried to stop the grin from spreading across his face. As quickly as the dwarfs anger departed so did he became companionable to Drovus, "Laddy, me names Took Boringer, champion and defender to the mighty Citadel Adbar" the dwarf stated proudly.

"Glad to meet you, my name is Drovus Arden, mage of Turnsdell. My companion is Kellandura, though I do not know her last name." Kellandura seeming to recall something from her previously intelligent life, answered, "Kellandura Drihavar" she introduced in her rough common. The dwarf shook visibly, "I hope your right about her boy!" the dwarf reasoned, "as am I" grinned Drovus in reply. He had changed his mind about the dwarf quite drastically since the mages rough awakening.

"And I am Alora Tellanen, ranger by title," the woman stated finishing off the introductions. She sheathed her deadly short swords, and following her notion Took slid his axe ,handle first, into the strap of a large buckeled travel belt. "Now that we are all on even ground," Alora stared intently at Drovus as she continued, "I need help and I think you can offer it, what say you, friend?"

"I have no where else to go" the overwhelmed mage realized he could change his predicament by befriending others more knowledgeable of Faerun (and had decided that both Alora and Took were trustworthy). Drovus agreed "I think Kellandura and I would be pleased to help, although I have a few questions to ask first?"

"Go ahead Drovus" Alora smiled warmly, stunning Drovus with her striking beauty.

Snapping himself out of his paralyzed state Drovus asked "What-W" (Drovus didn't see the dwarf smirking at his predicament behind him) "What is a ranger doing grouped up with a Champion from Cit-" his words were cut off by the whoosh of an arrow.

"Down," Alora shouted diving atop Drovus, knocking him roughly to the ground as the well aimed missile flew overhead. "Ambush!" cried the surprised Took Boringer once again taking out his battleworn mithril axe, he was always ready for a good fight.

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Hey, I realized the prologue was a little long so I tried to cut this chapter shorter. Also I capitalized drow on my last piece and corrected that error this time around. Please get some reviews up and I will work on writing the next chapter. Oh and be aware that errors in grammar and spelling may occur, sorry ahead of time.

thanks,

TrailWanderer


	3. The Menace Revealed

**The Menace Revealed**

With their cover blown the ambushers rushed out, five or six of them, Drovus couldn't count from his akward position. They were armored men, city guards wearing the colors of Neverwinter on their tunics! Merely a few seconds earlier, both Kellandura and Alora dove off into the thicket on either side of the meadow clearing. Took Boringer chose an entirely different tactic, charging at the men and engaging two. The other guards avoided the mighty dwarf and took off looking for easier prey, leaving their two parrying companions with full hands.

Another arrow whistled nearby, shot from the back of the group and Drovus pushed himself into a roll barely avoiding a swift end. He could see an armored man out of the corner of his eye advancing towards him spear held out in front. Stretching out with his forearms, Drovus scampered off into the bush and flung himself down behind a large oak trunk. "Thunk!" an arrow whistled overhead slamming into the sturdy tree that the scared mage hid behind. Drovus could hear a few of the soldiers yelling in out of place gruff voices accomponied by the clanging of melee battle nearby. Hearing thrashing and cursing in the bushes a few feet off to his left where he had entered the thicket, Drovus could make out a spear raised, slashing back and forth, the long weapon was obviously entangled in the low hanging branches of the overgrown vegetation . Drovus stood and began muttering words to a powerful spell he had memorized, right as the disgruntled man broke through the brambles and charged at him. Drovus deftly stepped to the left, fully expecting to be skewered like a wild boar. Surprisingly, the veteran guard missed by a large bracket and stuck his spear into Drovus's oak friend instead. Thinking quickly, Drovus turned and finished casting his spell. Drovus's outstretched hands sent forth a powerful burst of lightning surprising the guard, who had given up on the spear and was having serious trouble pulling out a wicked knife. The defeated guard spasmed and squirmed in agony as the high voltage spell coursed through him and quickly ended his life. Thoroughly shaken, Drovus looked down at the dead guard and was still half-expecting him to stand up and apologize for the terrible accident when a second guard rushed through the bush wielding a bastard sword. Drovus, acting on instinct, crouched and quickly grabbed the first guards sword ignoring the pain as a shock blasted through the metal into his hand. Turning to face his new foe, the mage lifted his steel weapon in an inexperienced battle stance.

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"Argh," Took Boringer bellowed as a second arrow bounced off his well crafted armor, "keep coming I can handle twenty of you at a time!"

Surprisingly the message wasn't that far off and Took was surprised at how weak these supposedly well-trained guards were. One of Took's original attackers lay on the ground moaning and clutching his split belly as life blood seeped through his fingers, the second opponent was fighting furiously, now even more frightened having lost the man advantage. Up came the mithril axe and so up went the sword, the guard wasn't too keen on leaving an opening for the angry dwarf. The sword, however, wasn't quick enough to follow the axe back down as it was thrust towards the mans torso. The head of the axe smashed the mans mailed stomache, making him gasp in pain and drop his sword - the deadly axe was already moving again! This time a sideways swing chopped into the mans exposed neck, between armor and helmet, leaving a gaping wound. The guard appeared stunned for a second, staring into Took's grim face, then fell over dead. Took Boringer growled a warcray, spitting at the ground as he stomped off towards the reloading archer, who in turn fired off another poorly aimed missile, then ran off dropping his bow. No human, however fast, could escape the powerful flight of Alora's arrow, this fleeing guard was no exception and was blasted squarely in the back. The unfortunate man stumbled forward with the leftover momentum, continuing a few more steps before collapsing forever.

Alora grinned at Took from her woodland position, but hearing his warning cry, spun around. A man stood right behind her axe raised, frozen in time. With an aweful, confused expression and a loud crack, the man tumbled earthbound his broken neck flopping uselessly. Behind the man crouched Kellandura in a stealthy stance; the dark elf spat at the dead man's feet and retreated back into the bush without so much as a swishing branch to reveal her - the stealthy killer, the stealthy drow!

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Drovus was amazed that even his rudimentary teachings of warfare and swordplay at the academy were keeping his armored opponent at bay. The guard swung his sword akwardly, and once again missed the half-naked mage. Another swing of the angry man's sword, this time horizontally, knocked Drovus's weapon out of his hand and out of reach, off to the left. The man grinned wickedly, laughing as he advanced on the mage. A tough lesson to learn is that a mage is never unarmed and the man learned that lesson tenfold as a violet orb flew from Drovus's outstretched hand blasting the unfortunate man in the middle. The airborne man soared like a bird and landed like a rhino as his frail body crashed against a large tree, the crack of his back could be heard even from Drovus's twenty foot away position.

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"You all right 'Lor?" Took cried out to the bushes where he had last seen his human companion in apparent danger.

"Yeah, thanks for the heads up!" Yelled back Alora, "Kellandura had my back. Drovus was right about her martial training, that man never had a chance!" Alora moved back out into the clearing. "Have you seen Drovus, Took?"

"Nah, he ran off into the bushes somewhere to the left." Right as Took finished speaking, Drovus stumbled out through the bushes. The stricken expression on the crazed mage's face frightened Alora.

"Who are you and why are the Neverwinter soldiers after you?" Drovus stuttered obviously shaken from his ordeal in the woods. Despite all of his training and the the recent raid on Turnsdell, Drovus was still a novice in the ways of death , especially death caused by his own hands.

"I could ask the same question to you Drovus." Alora replied, "as for us, we have done no crime, and last time I checked the soldiers of Neverwinter ask before they shoot." Changing her tone, Alora looked at Drovus her eyes full of concern, "Drovus they would have killed you if you hadn't fought back."

"Killed you? Bah, what sort of guards fight like drunken kobolds? For all of its boasting I think Neverwinter's military should step up a notch." huffed the dwarf as Kellandura rejoined the group from her location in the trees.

Drovus didn't look convinced just how much could he trust this ragtag duo? Drovus looked at Took and then Alora, "I think it would be best to find out why those guards attacked us, maybe there is a town nearby where we can get some information." Alora nodded in agreement, Took grunted, and Kellandura simply stared off into space. Drovus secretly thought to pay more attention to his new companions and to further interrogate them about why the guards attacked.

"Before we head out, maybe I have some clothes that can fit Kellandura and then you can get back into that robe of yours." Alora said to Drovus who gratefully nodded his head. Alora continued, seeing Drovus's suspicious look, "My guess is that the guards were on patrol and saw the drow; that or you have some serious explaining to do Drovus. Either way I suggest we head out, we can talk along the road."

Several minutes later the adventurers departed, intent on finding the nearest town. Alora and Took muttered quietly amongst themselves as they stared back at the other two straggling companions. The newly robed Drovus has similar thoughts in his head. After all, why else would the guards have attacked, had they even seen the stealthy drow? A dangerous puzzle, Drovus knew he would have to get to the bottom of it. Beside the lost-in-thought mage, stalked Kellandura, a deadly glint had returned to her cruel, black eyes. The drow did well in hiding it though and walked steadily onwards. Who knows what dreadful thoughts breached that dark beings mind?

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Far down the coast in the Sword Mountains, South of Neverwinter and North of Waterdeep, sat Nethrenspire, the dark Fortress. It stood five hundred feet high, black as night and thicker than a dragon's scales. A single tower that magically shifted planes, appearing fully on the material plane only at night, when the moons power was full -- and the suns diminished!

_Your feeble attempts at creating war strike out as being oh so mortal!_ spoke Najienkalaz the Cursed Crown of Etheindal. Its wearer, the former battle mage Esteren, groaned and shifted under the burden of the powerful sentient object. _Maybe I should have chosen a more suitable bearer? _spat the Cursed Crown, the strong telpathic message forcing Esteren to shudder.

"Najienkalaz you have laid the impossible out before me, I simply need more time." Esteren spoke out loud knowing that it did not matter, he knew very well that the mighty Najienkalaz could intrude on his every thought telepathically.

Najienkalaz didn't bother replying it knew that its ally... that its host, was powerful; it could not help tormenting the pitiful Mage however. Esteren shuddered again, he sat glumly on the throne, how ironic the throne he thought he would claim after carefully learning the ways of the Cursed Crown. The mighty mage however made a major mistake. Very few can resist the tempting call of Najienkalaz and the crown had whispered to Esteren from the beginning. Esteren had lost the battle of wills that soon followed, and had placed the Cursed Crown on his head. The mage barely realized that he was now little more than a vessel for the ever-hungering crown.

_Together my wizard we shall swell with power, and even the mighty Lords of Waterdeep will offer fealty to Esteren and his crown. _That thought alone cheered the over-ambitious mage. Although Esteren was quite content with being a renown battle mage for hire, the crown had carefully persuaded him that more power equalled more respect. Respect was a thing that Esteren could not refuse. He was one of the best and with this objects help he would become the best of the Sword Coast maybe even of Faerun. _Maybe even Toril _the manipulative crown implanted into Esteren's head.

"Maybe even Toril," the battle mage grinned to himself. A smile spreading across his wearied face, something that hadn't occured since his discovery of Najienkalaz.

The Cursed Crown had reinforced Esteren's magical abilities and had shown him the key to entering and controlling Nethrenspire's formidable power. How could the mage not return a simple favour? The crown cackled with joy masking its feelings from the powerful mage; manipulation was the crowns most favourite game, one that it excelled at. This was all too easy for Najienkalaz, the wizard had already began gathering a vile army to start the spreading of the chaotic plague, that is the Cursed Crown!

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Hey, sorry that it took me a while to post this chapter its been done for a while. I would like to thank Icy Mike Molson for the review, now I have some tangible stuff to work on, also I would like to thank everyone else who has read the Strange Party so far. I mean to go backand fix some errors (busy with school currently). As for character realism I'm working on it still, the story is developing and I know everything was too quick, I had realized that even as I posted it. I hope this new chapter is a little more polished and I look forward to more reviews.

Trailwanderer


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